


Cure

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 19:35:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13864551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Alex and Evergray sit down to talk about the Pandorian sickness.





	Cure

“So, was there anything in particular that you wanted to know about the sickness?” asked Evergray after the last of the conspiracy committee had left. Alex chewed on her lower lip, looking down at her hands, at her bitten fingernails.

“Everything,” said Alex, flicking her eyes back up to him. “I need to know… what it’s like, what it feels like, how to deal with it, how it progresses… just, everything.”

“Hmm. Now, that’s a rather curious subject to be curious about, if you don’t mind my saying,” said Evergray. “What sparked your interest in it, young Soul Rider?”

“Anne,” said Alex, the name making her chest feel tight as it always did whenever she thought about her girlfriend. She’d been angry, sad, desperate… and now, she was just worried. So worried that she could barely sleep at night. The dark shadows under her eyes could attest to that.

“Ah, yes,” said Evergray, nodding. “I’d heard about that. She has been trapped in Pandoria for quite some time, and that would have killed a normal person. Two years isn’t exactly a short period of time.”

“I know that, thanks,” said Alex sharply, a strong tang of ozone suddenly in the air. She tried to get a hold of her powers, not wanting to fry the guy who would hopefully help her. “And she is sick. She’s really sick, and I… don’t know how to help her.”

“Hmm. Well, what does she look like? Sound like?” asked Evergray.

“Well, I didn’t see her myself, but my friend, Louisa, told me,” said Alex. “Eventually, after her girlfriend locked us in the stables and forced us to talk to each other.” She sighed. “She’s got… pink veins through her skin, and pink streaks in her hair that she didn’t put there because Anne would never dye her hair an unnatural colour, she’s a professional dressage rider, she needs to look good. And her eyes glowed pink. Louisa said that she looked… sad, and that she sounded defeated.”

“Oh dear,” said Evergray, steepling his fingers in front of his lips. “That isn’t good at all.”

“Yeah, no shit,” said Alex. “Do you know what… stage that is, and if there’s anything that can be done to help or fix it?”

“I’m afraid that I don’t know of any cure,” said Evergray. “However, I am working on one.”

“Well, you’re clearly not depressed,” said Alex. “Which I think will be one of the most major problems.”

“Oh, her mental state has nothing to do with the sickness,” said Evergray. “I believe that it has more to do with her current physical state. Imagine if you were in her position: trapped in a crystal, in a different dimension, separated from your horse with no clue as to whether or not he’s alive, you’ve been there two years, nobody’s come to rescue you, and then there are the Dark Riders always there, rubbing it in-“

“Stop,” Alex whispered, tears in her eyes as she looked at the table. Taking a deep breath, she looked at him again. “Okay, I get it. So, the mental state is unrelated to the sickness.”

“Not really,” said Evergray. Alex grit her teeth.

“But, you just said-“ said Alex, frustrated now. Was it in the contract for all druids to talk in bloody riddles?

“You said that Anne wouldn’t colour her hair because she cares about her appearance,” said Evergray. Alex nodded. “So, imagine how she must feel when she eventually catches sight of her reflection.”

“I’ll have to cover every mirror,” said Alex. “Every reflective surface.”

“Well, that will be easy to start with, she’ll probably be comatose while her body readjusts to Jorvik air and gravity and generally just working again,” said Evergray. “But, after that, yes, you will need to break the news to her that she looks different.”

“Isn’t there a cure or something?” asked Alex. “And, what’s the worst-case scenario?”

“Worst case… she turns into crystal,” said Evergray. “At least, that’s what I’ve found in the research that I’ve done.” Alex’s intense glare frightened him, and he pushed the chair away from the table a little. “However, all of those case studies were from humans or druids. Anne is a Soul Rider, and one with the ability to travel to Pandoria, to boot. Were Concorde with her, I don’t think she’d be getting sick at all.”

“Yeah, well, he’s not,” said Alex. “Is he? If he was there with her, she wouldn’t be trapped.”

“Well, she would be, if they were kept separated,” said Evergray. “However, there’s no time for ‘what if’s. My belief is that Anne’s inter-dimensional travelling ability has given her some immunity to the poisoning.”

“You said she’d turn into crystal,” said Alex. “Do you think the crystal she’s in…”

“No, I don’t believe that that is related to her sickness,” said Evergray. “Rather, it is just that- a prison. Not that she’d be able to get far anyway, Pandoria being made up of floating islands, but it’s just easier for Dark Core if she’s kept in the one place. However, that also makes it easier for us.”

“Yeah, great,” said Alex. “And the cure?”

“Yes, I wondered if you’d notice that I kept skirting around that issue,” said Evergray. He sighed heavily. “Unfortunately, I do not know of a cure. I would not be sitting here in front of you in my current state if I knew of a cure.”

“Is that because you were exiled?” asked Alex.

“I will admit, being kept out of their libraries did significantly hinder my research,” said Evergray. “However, now that I once more have access to their libraries, I am sure that I will be able to make leaps and bounds in my research.” He smiled as he looked around at the books that surrounded them in Fripp’s home. The blue celestial rodent still slept in what was a glorified pet bed, unaware of the conversation taking place or of the exile who sat in his home.

“I’ll help out however I can,” said Alex, her eyes burning with intensity. “Gathering herbs, reading books, travelling to far-off locations, whatever you need. If I can’t get my hands on Anne now, I can at least prepare for her return.”

“You are a good friend,” said Evergray, smiling at her. Alex gave a bitter laugh.

“I’m her girlfriend, you idiot,” said Alex. “Didn’t you know that?”

“Oh,” said Evergray, his eyes widening. “I confess, I am rather oblivious to these things.” Alex rolled her eyes with a smirk. “So that explains why you are so desperate to help her.”

“I love Anne more than anything else in this world,” said Alex. “She means the world to me.”

“That is an admirable quality,” said Evergray. “And a good reason for fighting. I’ll try to find a way in for you, or at least keep pestering the druids.” Alex grinned.

“Well, if you do it, it might just work,” said Alex. “Because I’ve been doing that for years, and nothing.”

“It helps to be related to one of them,” said Evergray, giving her a wink. Alex squinted against the bright pink light coming from his eye.

“Oh, and by the way,” said Alex. “Your pink eye, can you see out of it?”

“Yes, everything is just rather pink,” said Evergray with a nod. “It can be used as an emergency flashlight.” Alex laughed, but his words tugged at something in her memory.

“Do you think the Light of Aideen will work?” asked Alex.

“It’s worth a try,” said Evergray, nodding. “If we can find a fragment.”

“Louisa has one, it probably needs charging, but it’ll work,” said Alex. “It worked against the living scarecrows, and to wake up the Sleeping Widow.”

“Animated scarecrows?” Evergray repeated. Alex nodded. “What the hell has been happening here since I’ve been away?”

“Linda can you give you the history lesson on that,” said Alex. “Though, I’m sure a lot of it will come up in the conspiracy meetings.”

“Wow,” said Evergray, shaking his head in disbelief. “But, yes, have your friend bring the Light of Aideen and we can test it out on me, given that I am literally the only test subject.”

“I’m sure we could create some more test subjects,” said Alex, grinning. That would be one way to get rid of GED.

“Careful, talk like that will get you exiled,” said Evergray.

“It was just an idea,” said Alex with a shrug. “But, I’ll ask Louisa about the Light, and in the meantime, you let me know if you find anything.”

“Will do,” said Evergray with a nod. “Farewell, Alex. I will do some more research, and hopefully, I find something that will help us.”

“I hope you do,” said Alex, getting up and pushing the chair back in. “See you around, I guess.”

As she left, she felt a little better, knowing that Evergray would at least try to help. At least he could relate, if nothing else.


End file.
